


Zombie Eater

by arlbee



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cannibalism, Multi, Pop Culture, Road Trips, Romance, Science Fiction, Superpowers, Threesome - F/M/M, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-18 04:24:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13674210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arlbee/pseuds/arlbee
Summary: Mari just wants to get to Moab, Utah and pretend that Oregon, Illinois never happened.Then she bums a ride from two old school mates and her plans get derailed.





	Zombie Eater

It had only been about three months since she used to hate driving down roads like this. Miles and miles of corn and nothing else was a kind of personal hell. But now, it was a relief. A small miracle. She hung her arms and head out the back window and watched as she escaped the midwest mile by mile. Her travel companions were quiet up front. The silence would bother her if they were complete strangers.

However, she recognized them from years ago when they went to middle school and high school together. Viktor Sewick and Malcolm “Mal” Araya would be part of the “it” crowd if their school was small enough to allow such a thing. Popularity was a weird concept when a high school’s population was the size of a small liberal arts college. Mari only knew and recognized them because she'd had a small crush on both of them in middle school. They were never friends. They didn’t run in the same circles. She didn’t think they even knew who she was until Viktor asked, “You’re Mariel, right?”

“Mari.” She corrected.

“Where are you headed?”

“Utah.”

“What’s in Utah?”

The sky, she thought, but said, “Nothing.”

 

They spoke little to each other since they picked her up three days ago. The other one, Mal, hadn’t so much as looked at her since she climbed in their truck, which was fine with her. The less time they spent looking at her, the better.

Mari felt the car slow down. She turned her head and saw they were approaching a half finished blockade made out of crates, branches, and a semi truck surrounding a Dollar General. Busted cars were blocking the road in a way that looked purposeful. It was a barricade and a barricade usually meant unfriendlies.

“Can we rewind to the last hour when I could pretend we were just on a road trip and it wasn’t the zombie apocalypse?” Viktor muttered.

“Why in the world would I be on a road trip with you two?”

“You wouldn’t.” Mal sniped. The flare of irritation hit Mari unexpectedly. She narrowed her eyes at the driver. It was strange. Mari hadn’t been able to pick up even the slightest emotion from Mal since they started traveling together. Emotions are pretty tough to hide. Especially from her. All this time she just thought he was indifferent or too emotionally exhausted to feel anything about the situation. Mari was all too familiar with being too emotionally overwhelmed to feel anything.

Viktor changed the subject. “It doesn’t seem like they’ve noticed us yet. We could turn around and find another way.”

“We might not have enough gas.”

Mari sighed, grabbed her bat and got out of the truck. Mal and Viktor said nothing as she approached the barricade. She was going to regret this. She hadn’t had a proper meal since she left Illinois.

The closer she got to the haphazard makeshift fence, the more ominous it became. If the eeriness of the quiet didn't unsettle her so, she'd be impressed by the stack of coupes and minivans. She inched closer to the metal structure and waited. Nothing happened. If anyone was manning the thing, they should have ambushed her by now. “Fuck it.” she muttered, then shouted, “Will the real Slim Shady please stand up!”

No one answered, but Mari did feel another flare of irritation from behind her. Despite it all, it made her smile.

A harsh wind blew and hit her full in the face. She schooled her expression before she backed away from the barricade and turned around and went back to the truck.

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s home.”

“Zombies.” Viktor concluded.

“Probably.” Mari opened the back door and grabbed her backpack.

“Where are you going?” “What are you doing?” Viktor and Mal asked or demanded.

“I’m checking out that Dollar General.” They both looked at her like she just told them she was going to check out a zombie infested Dollar General…which it probably was.

“Are you broken?” Mal asked.

“That place is probably crawling with zombies.”

“Thank you guys for the ride.” Mari replied. She bowed for extra dramatic flare and walked away. Viktor’s anxiety washed over her along with Mal’s irritation, but she pushed it aside and jogged up to and around the barricade.

Behind the mountain of cars and junk was a pile of zombie bodies. Mari approached it, but she could tell by the smell that they hadn’t been walking for a long time. She turned back to the task at hand, taking long strides up through the grass and on to the Dollar General parking lot. The wind blew again. It smelled wet and carried another faint odor of rotting flesh. Mari looked up and saw the storm clouds cresting the tree tops. She drew her gaze down the road, but didn’t see anything. Slowly, she fully shouldered her pack and gripped her bat with two hands.

She heard the gurgling before she saw them. They stumbled around the corner of the store. Three of them, heavily armored and pretty freshly made, maybe a week or two. Mari brought up her bat and smiled. “Dinner’s ready.” She laughed to herself.

One of them took off toward her at surprising speed. Mari flinched but gripped her bat and breathed. “I hate track stars.” She met it three quarters of the way and swiped at its feet. It skid a foot behind her. Mari didn’t waste time and brought the slugger down on the zombie’s head four times in quick succession. She turned her attention to the last two and made quick work of them as well. When she was done, she knelt by the bodies and searched their pockets for anything good. She found a gun, but no bullets, a hunting knife with a sheth, and a pack of gum. She stuffed all of it into her pack except for the blade, taking its sheth and buckling it around her waist. She stared down at the bodies. The smell of them made her stomach growl. Mari was so hungry, but so aware that it still wasn’t safe yet. She looked around her one more time, surveying the area. She was too exposed and she didn’t think she had time to find shelter before the storm hit. Mari got up and made her way to the store. She was almost at the door when she heard a vehicle. She put some distance between her and the store before turning around to see the truck circumventing the incomplete barricade and driving up the grass toward her.

“Shit.” She sheathed the knife.

When the truck stopped, Mal cut the engine and her two old classmates got out.

“Well, if this isn’t a pleasant surprise! If I knew I was having company, I would have cleaned up the place a bit.” She said, kicking a stray zombie hand off to the side.

Viktor and Mal looked at her funny.

“You two have no sense of humor.”

“Maybe you’re just not funny.” Mal pointed out. Viktor snorted.

“Sourface got jokes.”

“It’s not a joke, it’s a fact. Come on, Viktor, let’s get this over with.”

“Party pooper.”

“Seriously?”

“Guys, annoy each other later.” Viktor interrupted.

“Annoy?” She asked as they entered the dark convenience store. “Do I annoy you, Mal?”

Viktor groaned and turned to look her straight in the eyes. Mari forgot what she was going to say as a wave of disappointment rolled off of Viktor and onto her. She frowned. It was strange having someone she barely knew, who barely even knew her, be disappointed in her. Because it meant that without her knowing it, Viktor held some kind of high regard for her. She didn’t know how to respond to that so she shut her mouth and walked around him.

Mari left Viktor and Mal to rummage around the front of the store where they could still see with the greying natural light. She followed her nose, searching for the rotting stench that drifted from the back. She moved slowly, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the low light. Mari brought the bat up and followed her nose further into the store. Again, she heard the gurgling long before she saw movement.

“Come to mama you beautiful bastard.” her mouth was salivating at the smell. This one was ripe. Just how she liked them. The zombie lumbered forward, heavy and awkward. From a faint outline of its sides, the walking corpse took up half the aisle. Mari watched it inch forward a few more steps and then fall to its knees. She set her bat down.

“You poor pathetic bastard.” She set down the bat, took out the hunting knife. Then, she approached the bloated zombie. She heard it breathe heavily. Zombies don’t need to breathe and some of them don’t once their lungs or motor functions have completely rotted way. But some, if the virus is really poignant, still go through the motions of the living.

Once Mari was close enough, the zombie took a swipe at her. Startled she spun out of the way and backed up a few feet. “Oh, still got some fight?” She took a few steps back and took a running leap and flipped over her prey. She landed right behind it and took the knife across its thick neck. The zombie tried to grab at her but it’s thick arms couldn’t stretch that far. She sawed and sawed until she hit bone. Mari then bent the head back, brought up her elbow and then brought it down on the zombie’s forehead, snapping the neck. She then wrangled the head back and forth until it tore from the rest of the body. It fell with a wet thud. Mari sighed. Her arm was tired, but she didn’t have time to rest. Viktor and Mal were going to come looking for her soon. Mari set down the head and took the knife and plunged it where she estimated where the eye socket would be. Eye juice squirted out and hit her in the face. She licked her lips and dug out the eye. “Lord, please bless this food I’m about the receive for the nourishment of my body. In Jesus name, Amen.” Then she wrapped her lips around the eyeball and dragged it off the knife. Mari sighed as she chewed. She sat next to the head and leaned against the shelves.

It’s been about a month since zombie had been added to her diet. Due to the circumstances around this new dietary need, she didn’t really have time to process how disgusting it actually was to eat reanimated human beings. She was more worried about the distance she put between herself and Illinois. Whenever the hunger hit, which was about every week and a half, zombie was the best thing she ever put in her mouth. After the craving, she pretended like nothing happened. It was the only way she could cope.

Mari took the knife and dug the other eye out of the head and popped that in her mouth. She heard shuffling and looked toward the front of the store.

“Mari.” A harsh whisper called out.

“Viktor, seriously, we should just leave her.”

Mari quietly got up slowly, grabbed the head and slunk to the back of the store. She chewed slowly and purposefully. When she hit the back wall, she moved down the aisle till she came to a new row then moved down it. It was too soon. She was still hungry, but she needed time to dig out the brain.

“Look, that’s her bat.” She heard Viktor point out. Mari groaned inwardly. She solemnly looked down at her meal in her hand and set it down on the ground. Mari put away the knife, wiped her face on the sleeve of her button up. She shrugged it off, quickly whipped her hands with it and tossed it away. She’ll find another one...maybe a sweatshirt. Then she walked up the aisle and rounded the corner.

“Yo!”

Viktor and Mal jumped and whipped around. Viktor was kneeling by her bat. If she could see expressions, she’s pretty sure Mal’s said murder.

“What the fuck?” Mal hissed.

“Sorry! I was checking the back for surprises.”

“I see you found one.” Viktor nodded to the body a few feet from the bat. He stood, taking her bat with him. Mari shrugged. “I found it like that. Missing a head.” Before they could start asking questions, Mari nodded to the front, “Lets get going. It smells like a rotten meat grinder in here.”

She didn’t wait for a response and turned to head to the front. As she made her way to the door a glint caught the corner of her eye. She turned and on the floor she found a bottle of Jose nestled under the arm of a body. From the light that reached it, Mari could see the bullet hole in the woman’s temple. “God is good.” Mari smiled, and grabbed the bottle. The gun she found under the shelving unit. She checked the magazine and found the clip empty. “Of course.”

“What are you doing?” Mal snapped. Mari showed him her loot. “I found a friend!”

In the low light she could see the look Mal threw at her. It was a mix between confusion, disbelief and contempt. “You...why are you so weird?”

Normally, she would take that as a compliment but she knew that is not what Mal really meant to say. She stood up and made her way to the door where Viktor was waiting. “Just playing my role, Malcolm.”

“Don’t call me Malcolm, and what the hell are you talking about?”

Mari pointed to Viktor, “Sunshine over here is the optimist,” she gestured to him, “you’re the grump.” then she struck a pose, hand on hip, arm in the air, one leg up and bent in posse. “And I am the comedic relief.”

Viktor snorted and Mal shot him a look. “This isn’t some tv show or a movie. And even if it were–”

“I’m not funny, yeah yeah, look I’m doing the best I can alright? Technically, if this were a tv show or a movie, I’d be dead already.” Mari dropped the pose. Mal sent a exasperated look at Viktor who started laughing.

“Because she’s black.” Viktor provided, handing Mari’s bat back to her. Mari nodded in approval.

 

Once outside she turned her head and asked, “Did you find anything useful?”

“Batteries, flashlight, stale chips, water bottles, some blankets. They are all in the truck.”

“Don’t suppose you found any Twinkies?”

“No, why?”

Mari sighed, “My pop culture references are wasted on you two.”

“If my memory serves me right,” Mal interjected as they got in the truck “The comedic relief usually follows the black character in the death line up.”

That surprised a laugh out of Mari. “Sourface is trying to steal my thunder.”

“Sourface?” Mal looked like he wanted to punch her.

“Scowly Mcscowlface is too long.”

“Could you please get eaten by a zombie already?”

Viktor looked at Mal, but from where Mari was sitting behind him, she couldn’t see the expression. She did feel disappointment so sharp, it made Mal look away and throw the car in reverse. The sky rumbled and the rain started to fall.

“He didn’t mean it, Viktor.” Mari defended and it was true. At the most, Mal just wanted her to disappear, but he didn’t wish any ill will on her. Mal was struggling with her presence in his and Viktor’s epic bromantic apocalypse road trip. She had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with the fact that his twin, Tess, wasn’t with them. Mari didn’t ask because Tess’s absence spoke volumes and Mari really didn’t want to know. What got Mari very curious was why Viktor defended her every time Mal threatened to leave her behind. She didn’t want to push her luck by asking, but she also really wanted to know why. They were never friends, they never spoke. They had a few classes together but they belonged in different social circles. Mari dug herself in the fine arts wing for the most part and Mal and Viktor played football. Mari did know Tess as an acquaintance. In middle school, friend cliques changed as often as the weather and Mari’s associations bounced from group to group.

 

Just a block away they found a BP and Mal quickly pulled into a pump. The open sign was still flickering.

“Looks like the power is still working.”

“What kind of backup generator did this guy invest in?”

A sign on the gas station shop said East Beverage Center. “Grab some more Jose if you find any. This isn’t going to last the night.” Mari lifted up the bottle she found. Mal rolled his eyes, which is as close to a yes as Mari was going to get. She stayed out with the truck as Mal and Viktor ran inside using the overhang to keep out of the rain. They disappeared inside to trick the pump into thinking they paid. A few minutes later the pump started asking for petroleum grade and they came back out with a few bottles of alcohol. Viktor passed her two bottles of Jose, one gold and the other silver.

“Viktor, I might be in love with you.”

“Don’t make this weird.” he said trying to keep a straight face. Mari smiled and winked.

She and Viktor got back in the truck as Mal filled it up and the two extra tanks from the truck  bed. Then they were on their way. Soon 11th street turned back into highway 30 and they were out of DeWitt. The rain fell harder.

“Eventually, we are going to hit Cedar Rapids if we stay on 30. But 80 isn’t much better because of Iowa City and the college campus.” Viktor said.

“Okay, what’s the lesser of two evils?” Mari asked.

“They both suck pretty equally especially since we don’t know the road conditions.”

“Isn’t Iowa mostly back roads? Can’t we just by pass both of these?”

“Cedar Rapids and Iowa City pretty much live on top of each other. There are suburbs and a state park between them.”

“Better than nothing.” Mal muttered.

“Okay.” Viktor pulled out a map and took a couple minutes looking at it before he said, “ You’re looking for Country road. Turn left and follow it until Marbie.”

After that, the truck was silent and Mari went back to looking out the window. She was still hungry and there was no way her stomach was going to settle for just two zombie eyes, stale chips and Jose.

 

Many turns and farmland later, they hit a town called Norway. The rain had stopped and the clouds parted for them to see the sun setting. They all were thinking about bedtime. The past couple days they’d took turns sleeping in shifts in the truck, but there was only so much comfort a moving car could provide.

If Mari were on her own, she would look for survivors first. Norway seemed isolated enough that an unbitten population might thrive and they were Mari’s biggest threat.

But Mal stopped the truck at a house just outside of the main street with an open garage. He pulled the truck in and cut the engine. They all got out and did a preliminary search of the area. They found a few zombies wandering around the wooded area behind the house. Mari made quick work of them with her bat since it made significantly less noise than Mal’s shotgun or Viktor’s rifle. After double checking for unwanted visitors, they broke into the house.

 

The smell hit them first. To Mari, it smelled like Thanksgiving, but Viktor was struggling not to cough. They found the body in the den. It’s open gut was hosting a rave of flies and maggots.

“Come on. We are not sleeping here.” Mal said, pulling Viktor and Mari away from the scene. Mari was about to protest when a rat the size of a yorkie lumbered out of the corpse’ pant leg. It looked up at them and hissed. Mari did not tangle with rats mostly because killing them caused too much of a ruckus, but also, where there is one, there’s a horde.

 

They took the truck to the house across the street. It was tall and white and looked like an old Victorian style farmhouse which was odd when it’s across the street neighbor was a more shag rug 70s modern. They found the place empty, but lacking any kind of security what with all the doors being broken or swinging and the windows on the first floor broken. Mal went out and pulled the truck around back while Mari and Viktor found furniture to barricade the front door and side. They left the backdoor unobstructed for easy access to the truck. Mari really wanted to sleep in an actual bed but she felt more comfortable sleeping close to their emergency exit just in case.

“What if we barricade this door as well and find a room with a window facing the back. Then we could just climb out and down to the truck in case of emergency.” Mari suggested. The other two agreed and did just that. The room they found was the master bedroom. Mari ignored the queen size bed in favor of testing the windows. They were old and sills were covered in dead flies and spider webs.

“Gross.” she squeaked and went to work shoving the window up bit by bit. Viktor came over to work on the second window.

“We are not all sleeping in the bed.” Mal pointed out.

“Afraid you’ll get cooties, Malcolm?” Mari teased.

“It doesn’t matter.” Viktor interrupted before the banter could continue. “The bed is big enough for two with space. One will keep watch.”  

“I volunteer as tribute!” Mari raised her hand then left the room before the other two could say anything.

 

As she descended the stairs, Mari listened as her two travel companions shuffled around to get ready for bed. When she got to the main floor she found the bathroom and shouldered off her pack. She opened it and retrieved a flashlight and flicked it on. Then she grabbed a pack of baby wipes, facial wipes, deodorant, mouthwash and lotion. Quickly, she undressed down to her underwear and got to work scrubbing. She was careful not to irritate the long scab descending down the back of her right calf or the track marks up and down her arms. Once done, she stepped back into her black skinnies and black tank top. Mari rubbed lotion on her face, elbows and scabs then took a swig of mouthwash, gargled then spit it out in the sink. After she put everything away, she padded back into the main hall, pack in one hand, boots in the other. When she looked up she saw a figure watching her from the top of the stairs. She froze. She didn't even breathe.

After a moment, Mal said, “I’m taking second watch.” then, after a beat, “Don’t leave the house.” Then he turned and went back down the hall and out of Mari’s sight. Mari exhaled “Creep.”

She tossed her backpack onto the the couch she and Viktor shoved against the front door, then sat down to put her boots back on. Mari sat there thinking about how best to escape the house without making too much noise moving furniture. She was still hungry and there was a prime dinner course just across the street. Mari knew traveling with others was going to be tricky, but she hadn’t thought it all the way through. Finding zombies wasn’t the problem, it was spending enough alone time to eat it. She was going to have to rethink her travel plans. _“If Jair were here, he’d just steal the truck and be on his merry.”_ Mari thought before she could stop herself. The thought of her brother and best friend sent her scratching at the track marks on her left arm. She hissed when her fingernail picked at an old scab. Mari quickly grabbed her leather jacket, which she threw on the couch when they moved it, and put it on. The cool leather felt strange but not at all soothing on her irritated skin. Mari folded her arms, stood up and went hunting for wherever she set her bat aside.

She found it in the kitchen next to the rounded kitchen table they put in front of the door. She picked up the bat and was about to go back to the sofa when she heard a soft thud. Mari stopped and held her breath. She listened as the house settled around her and the thumping in her ears subsided. Just as she was about to dismiss it she heard it again. Mari raised her bat. She took a huge whiff, but the only thing she could smell was dust and old paint on old wood. She buried her nose in her arm and sneezed, muting the noise. The thud came again and Mari noticed it came from above her. After doing a quick mental check of the house’s layout she concluded that the room above the kitchen was the master bedroom. Mari paused and listened again, but the thud didn't return. She stared up at the ceiling, imagining what could have possibly made the noise. She had half a mind to go up there and check on them but then decided against it. Part of her, the more perverted part, guessed the boys were having a bit of fun together. The less perverted part of her guessed they found a roach. Mari went to the couch by the stairs and listened again. But she heard nothing else. Once she was satisfied there were no more strange sounds coming from upstairs, she went back to the kitchen.

Mari regarded the table. It wouldn't do much against an intruder, but it was the only piece of furniture left with any kind of weight to it. If anything, the sound of the table legs scraping the old wooden floor boards would alert them enough to either ready an attack or get the hell out of dodge. Mari test its weight. It wasn't too heavy, but it would be awkward to lift. She went to the front of the house and into the den. She stared out the bay windows. The glass was shattered but shards along the edges would prevent her from escaping without a, causing too much noise or b, cutting the hell out of herself. Mari did not need any more cuts.

Just when she was about to say fuck it and lay her jacket on the window ledge, the soft thud sound was back. Except it wasn’t soft any more. It was louder and did not sound like the love making kind of thud. Mari picked up her bat and darted across the living room and up the stairs. When she reached the top floor, Mal and Viktor were leaving the bedroom.

Mari inhaled deeply, but again, all she got was the scent of old house.

“It’s probably an animal.” Mari said softly, but neither Mal or Viktor seemed convinced. She crept closer to them, listening for the sound again. Thud. It sounded like someone was knocking but with their head instead of a fist. It came from above them. An attic.

“Here's a suggestion, how about we leave the creepy sound to it's own business.”

“Scared?”

“Malcolm, we are literally in a creepy old house, at night, during a zombie apocalypse. I’m black, my self preservation instincts are stronger than yours.”

Mal sneered at her.

“We should at least find out where it's coming from so we can properly monitor it.” Viktor suggested.

Mari sighed. “If you two get me killed, I am going to be so pissed.”

 

They went from room to room looking for the access to the attic, checking the master bedroom first. They finally found it in what looked like a child's room. All the furniture was broken or looked disassembled, like someone was looking to repurpose the materials. Toys and books were scattered. They found the attic door in the closet.

“I literally hate everything about this.”

“Noted.”

They stood there, listening for the sound again. After two minutes of nothing, they called it and the two men went back to bed. Mari stayed upstairs listening and watching.

As the adrenaline faded, Mari’s hunger came back with a vengeance. She needed to eat or things were going to get to get messy. Without thinking too much about it, she entered the child's room opened the access to the attic.

Dust, like only an attic could accumulate, shot up her nose. She muffled the sneeze in her arm. As quietly as possible, she ascended the stairs, bat raised in one hand, the other keeping her balance. Once her head reached floor level, she stopped and scanned the area. It was too dark to see in some corners. The only light came from the attic window and there were too many clouds in the sky to get much moonlight. Mari inhaled slowly.

Attic dust, old clothes, rotting wood, rat droppings, pollen, zombie. Fresh zombie. As in, was probably bitten three hours ago and going into fever, fresh.

Mari’s senses sharpened with the new spike of adrenaline. She ascended the rest of the way into the attic.

She found the poor sucker in the far corner away from the window. When going through the change, victims became extremely sensitive to light. He could have been in his late thirties, early forties but he was so shriveled with the fever he looked ancient. When he saw her, a range of emotion splashed into Mari. Relief, then panic, then fear, then desperation.

“I know.” Mari said softly. She knows her eyes are glowing they're eerie green so she approached slowly. “I know.” She said again, trying to convey that she was going to help. She knelt and set down her bat, then sat on her knees next to the feverish man. She lifted his head gently and set it in her lap. His arms flopped weakly at his sides. Mari grabbed one and took the hand in hers. The man relaxed and closed his eyes. They waited like that until the smell of the virus got stronger and the man began to gasp and shake. Mari let go of his hand, took his head with both hands and snapped his neck. The body fell limp.

 

She ate through her tears.

 

They set out as soon as the sun came up.


End file.
